Explosions of boiling plasma, matter speeding through the galaxy at a million miles
an hour, structures much bigger than the Sun -- these are not the special
effects in this summer's hottest movie. They are just some of the
events that occur in relation to our very own Sun, that bright light
in the sky.

The Sun's activities range from producing dark sunspots to expelling
matter in huge explosions called coronal mass ejections, all the while
giving off the heat energy we know so well. Activity on the Sun (like
sunspots, flares, and solar storms) follows an eleven-year "sunspot
cycle" or "solar cycle" from minimum to maximum.

Solar maximum -- which falls during the year 2000 -- means that the Sun
will produce more "space weather" (explosions that happen at the Sun
and can cause magnetic storms and aurora on Earth) than usual. This
means an exciting time for scientists, but it can also affect everyone:
magnetic storms can knock out power and communications or disturb
satellites.

To know the basics of the current solar maximum,
explore this site. You may be surprised at what that bright light in the sky
can do.